BERCO UK, the Spennymoor- based manufacturer of undercarriage systems and components for tracked construction machinery, has seen a 100% increase in turnover.

The firm saw its £9m turnover to the year ending September 2009 double to £18m in the next 12 months.

The company has invested more than £75,000 in a second assembly line, which became operational in February 2010, increasing the capacity for shift work, and employment has risen from 20 in June 2009 to 33.

Berco UK, which was established in 2006, moved to Spennymoor from Middlesbrough in 2007.

The growth in Berco UK’s business reflects an economic confidence felt by its management. As well as a resurgence in business from existing customers, including the majority of the world’s leading construction plant firms such as JCB and Komatsu, Berco UK brought a number of new clients on board in 2010 and secured assembly work contracts from Italy.

Andrew Cornforth, managing director of Berco UK, said: “We have built steadily out of the slump which hit our industry in early 2009 and our production output and employee levels rising so dramatically are testament to that.

“In the middle of 2009, we were producing around 150 units per month, compared with almost 800 in November 2010, which is growth in excess of 400%.

“We are now seeing the benefits of the model we brought here to Spennymoor. There is a willing workforce in the area, which we can turn to if we need to employ further, and the growth we have seen in 2010 gives us optimism for the coming months.”